Mr Jun Chen 陳俊先生

Information

Date

16 January 2013

Interviewed by

Jingxiang Shi

Language

Mandarin

Audio Edited by

Jingxiang Shi

Venue

Chen's House, London

Translated by

Han Tao

Jun Chen was born into a poor peasant family in Ganjiang County of Yangzhou City in Jiangsu Province in China. He spent only two years in school and had to make a living in Shanghai as a barber's apprentice at the age of 12 by virtue of the saying “Three Knives in Yangzhou” – a phrase which stipulates people from Yangzhou are skilled in the three trades of hairdressing, tailoring and catering. Introduced by a hometown fellow, Jun Chen went to work at "Sunning" Hairdresser's in Hong Kong, when he was 20. His customers included celebrities such as Chao Yung Tung and Boon-Haw Aw. He was then recommended by a British Chinese to work in the Hong Kong Hair Salon in Monmouth Street in London's West End in 1966. He took over the salon and became its owner a year later. He then established another barbershop, "China Beauty Salon" in London's Chinatown the following year. Jun Chen was also involved in catering and opened the "Luxuriance Restaurant" in Chinatown in 1980 specialising in Peking cuisine. Ten years later, in 1990, he established the "Lux II" in Surrey. Jun Chen was engaged in various Chinese community activities throughout the years and was appointed to important positions with several society organisations. He was enthusiastic about promoting the public good and spared no effort to help students in need. Jun Chen is now in his eighties and enjoys a happy family life in London.